The University of Akron Athletics
MAC Announces First Round of the 2025-26 MAC-SBC Challenge
July 01 | General, Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball
CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Mid-American Conference and Sun Belt will begin the third season of the MAC-SBC Challenge on Tuesday, November 3.
The men's basketball team will host James Madison at James A. Rhodes Arena while the women will travel to South Alabama.
The second MAC-SBC Challenge contest for each team will take place on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, with the matchups based on real-time NET rankings and announced on January 5. The MAC women and Sun Belt men will host the February matchups.
Each MAC and Sun Belt team included in the MAC-SBC Challenge is guaranteed one home and one away game each season.
Scheduling assistance is provided by Ordinal Sports Group. In addition to relevant NET data, geography and frequency of past contests are considered in determining the matchups.
Each MAC-SBC Challenge game will be carried on an ESPN platform.
2025-26 MAC-SBC Challenge Basketball November Matchups
Women's Basketball
Western Michigan at Appalachian State
Ball State at Arkansas State
Miami at Coastal Carolina
Central Michigan at Georgia Southern
Kent State at James Madison
Bowling Green at Louisiana
Buffalo at Marshall
UMass at Old Dominion
Akron at South Alabama
Northern Illinois at Southern Mississippi
Ohio at Texas State
Toledo at Troy
Eastern Michigan at Louisiana Monroe
Men's Basketball
James Madison at Akron
Louisiana at Ball State
Texas State at Bowling Green
Southern Mississippi at Buffalo
Appalachian State at Central Michigan
Georgia State at Eastern Michigan
Troy at Kent State
Marshall at UMass
Old Dominion at Miami
Louisiana Monroe at Northern Illinois
Arkansas State at Ohio
South Alabama at Toledo
Coastal Carolina at Western Michigan
